CDL study sheets
The must-know facts from all 12 lessons on printable pages. Review them the night before your test.
1. CDL basics: classes, endorsements and your permit
- Class A: combinations towing over 10,000 lbs
- Class B: single vehicles over 26,000 lbs
- Hold your permit at least 14 days before the skills test
- You must be 21 to drive across state lines
- DOT medical cards last up to 24 months
2. Vehicle inspection
- Seven-step inspection starts with the vehicle overview
- Steer tires: 4/32 inch tread; others: 2/32 inch
- More than 10 degrees of steering play is too much
- Rust around lug nuts can mean they're loose
3. Basic control: steering, shifting and backing
- Both hands, opposite sides of the wheel
- Back slowly, toward the driver's side, with a helper
- Right turns: keep the rear close to the curb
- Two left-turn lanes: use the right-hand one
4. Seeing, signaling and stopped vehicles
- Look 12 to 15 seconds ahead
- Convex mirrors make things look farther away
- Never wave others to pass
- Triangles: 10, 100 and 100 feet on two-lane roads; 10, 100 and 200 on divided roads
5. Speed, stopping distance and space
- Stopping distance = perception + reaction + braking
- Double the speed, about four times the braking distance
- 1 second per 10 feet of length, plus 1 second over 40 mph
- Being tailgated? Add space in front
6. Night, weather and mountain driving
- Low beams within 500 feet of oncoming traffic
- Hydroplaning can start at 30 mph
- Retarder off on slippery roads
- Pick a low gear before the downgrade, then snub brake
7. Skids, emergencies, fires and crashes
- Most skids: too fast for conditions
- Drive-wheel skid: off the gas, off the brakes, steer
- Swerve right in most emergencies
- Crash scene: protect the area first
8. Railroad crossings, alcohol, drugs and fatigue
- Never shift gears on railroad tracks
- CMV alcohol limit: 0.04%
- Any detectable alcohol: 24 hours out of service
- Only sleep fixes fatigue
9. Cargo: weight, securement and inspection
- You're responsible even if others loaded it
- At least one tiedown per 10 feet, minimum two
- Recheck within 50 miles, then every 3 hours or 150 miles
- Keep heavy cargo low
10. Air brakes
- Governor: cut-out ~125 psi, cut-in ~100 psi
- Low-air warning before 60 psi
- Spring brakes apply at 20–45 psi
- Leakage: under 2 psi/min released, under 3 psi/min applied (single vehicle)
11. Combination vehicles and coupling
- Crack-the-whip can roll the trailer
- Red line: emergency/supply. Blue line: service
- No gap at the fifth wheel; jaws on the kingpin shank
- Tug test, then raise the landing gear fully
12. Endorsements: hazmat, tanker, doubles, passenger and school bus
- Hazmat: placards on all four sides; TSA check
- Tankers: baffles don't stop side-to-side surge
- Doubles: heaviest trailer up front
- School bus danger zone: up to 30 feet
You might also like
AdMyCDLCoach ELDT trainingFinish your required ELDT theory online, at your own pace. FMCSA-registered.Start ELDT trainingAdCDL LoansKnow what a truck really costs before you sign. Free loan and lease calculators.Run the numbersAdCDL InsurancesGet the coverage brokers require. Free coverage checker and quote comparison.Check my coverageAdCDL DispatchNeed a dispatcher you can trust? Request one free.Find a dispatcherAdCDL LoadboardIs this load worth it? Grade any load A to F in seconds.Check a loadAdMyCDL CareersFind the CDL job that fits your life. Free job fit quiz and pay calculator.Find my fitAdCDL GrantsGet your CDL training paid for: grants, GI Bill and free sponsored training.Find my fundingAdCDL TrucksBuying or selling a truck? List free, no commission.Browse trucks